Back in 1970s, anime shows such as Voltes V and Mazinger Z started airing on Philippine airwaves, which greatly impressed Filipinos with their unique storytelling as opposed to the usual American superheroes.
‘90s kids would be familiar with how their afternoons were spent watching Anime after school. Some are more avid fans of Japanese titles as they also read Manga, a term used by the Japanese for their comics version.
Nowadays, watching and reading Japanese works have become easier with the internet. The popularity of Manga is evident due to the adaptations of these comic books into Animation, movies, audiobooks, or vice versa, and a massive fanbase in all parts of the world.
However, many Manga stories are intended for adults, thus putting Filipino children at risk of being exposed to stories, situations, and violence unsuitable for their age. Then there are also illegal websites. Thus, our local creative Industry is negatively affected.
A local start-up, Kwentoon, aims to make a difference. In partnership with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines Bureau of Copyright, Kwentoon will conduct the first-ever online MANGA BOOTCAMP – a 3-month training workshop to teach participants about Anime Style Illustration, Character Design, and ultimately Manga Creation.
Kwentoon recognizes that in order for local stories, including those of Filipino myths, legends, and our own superheroes to be known here and worldwide, there is a need to develop a Philippine creative industry that is at par with those of its neighboring countries.
One of the mentors will be a professional mangaka from Japan, Mikey Maeda. He has worked mainly with a famous Japanese Magazine, Shonen Jump. He has collaborated with the authors of One-Punch Man, Shaman King, Boruto, Magical Girl Apocalypse, and many more. He’s also one of the artists of Disney Manga: Beauty and the Beast – Belle’s Tale.
Tristan Yuvienco will talk about Character design and coloring. He’s an award-winning designer and illustrator for Animation, publication, advertising, comics, and games. He has worked with Netflix, Cartoon Network, Disney TVA, DreamWorks TV, Scholastic Inc., Arthur A. Levine Books, and many more. He’s also a graduate of the University of the Philippines, majoring in Fine Arts and Visual Communication.
Sampay will teach more about Anime and Manga illustration and coloring. A graduate of the University of the Philippines, he has become the best local comics artist at a noticeably young age. With his unique style of coloring and detailed characters, he has gained a substantial social media following, creating indie manga titles such as Super proxies and Katipunera Warrior.
Elmer Damaso will teach more about character illustration and paneling techniques. He has worked with companies like Seven Seas Entertainment, Soda Pop Miniatures, Wildstorm, Lego, DC Comics, and Titan Comics.
In addition, Elmer has worked on international titles such as Robotech, Kamen Rider Zero One, Horizon Zero Dawn: Liberation, and many more. Before emerging on the international scene, he already had a solid following, with titles “One Day, Isang Diwa” and “Cat’s Trail,” previously published in the Culture Crash Comics. He’s also an awardee of the 1st Japan International Manga Awards.
With their lineup of mentors, Kwentoon aims to help the participants create a world-class Pinoy Manga. Participants who will finish the Manga Bootcamp will be issued a certificate of completion by the IPOPhl and Kwentoon and they can also win up to ₱30,000 worth of prizes and more.
MANGA BOOTCAMP will start on March 11. Limited slots are available. Registrants must be 15 years of age and above. Visit mangabootcamp.com or Kwentoon’s FB page for more Information.
